Wednesday, December 10, 2008

There are some recipes that require absolutely zero technique. This video recipe for super-simple, stick-to-your-ribs, slow-roasted lamb shanks is a perfect example. You add like three ingredients, wrap them up, and a couple hours later you are enjoying succulent, fork-tender lamb.
It almost seems too good to be true, and you keep trying to think if you missed something, but you didn't. The shanks do almost everything for you. Lamb shanks, and all shanks for that matter, are loaded with connective tissue that melts during the slow roasting and creates that rich, sticky, satisfying texture and flavor.
When buying lamb shanks, look for ones that are the same size. The foreshanks are smaller than the hindshanks, so be sure the butcher isn’t giving you some of each. These are so delicious that guests will fight over who gets the big shank, and it could get ugly. Enjoy!

Doesn't a LC pot or any cast iron pot with a tight fitting lid have the same effect as using 3 layers of foil? As extra precaution, covering the pot with a piece of foil before clamping on the lid must surely do the trick?

Absolutely fantastic recipe Chef. This is my weekend plan now. You have no idea how much a part of my kitchen you have become. Now for my 3 monthly reminder (now that it is winter here in NYC) - Cassoulet, Cassoulet, Cassoulet! :)Thanks much...AP

Chef - if I want to adapt this recipe for a leg of lamb or a shoulder, will the cooking achieve the same "fall off the bone and sticky sauce quality"? What I mean is do those cuts allow for the meat to be soft and fall off the bone after cooking? Separately, how will you alter the roasting time for the shoulder or whole leg with the bone in? Thanks much in advance. James..

Cooking time depends on size, but it will work. The leg is leaner than the shoulder, so wouldn't be as sticky. Don't worry about time, just check after a few hours and cook until fork tender. But shanks are the best!

So I searched four local supermarkets looking for lamb shanks - all they had were pre-packaged legs of lamb and crown ribs for the holidays. I ended up buying some short ribs instead, thinking I could adapt this recipe to short ribs. Is this possible? How long would you recommend I cook them?

Out of curiosity, would this same method of cooking work okay on boneless pork ribs? I would think since they're so fatty, that it would break down nice and whatnot, but I'd rather ask before I try it and screw it up.

I have two pounds of rib meat in my fridge waiting for me to turn it into something beautiful...

Out of curiosity, would this same method of cooking work okay on boneless pork ribs? I would think since they're so fatty, that it would break down nice and whatnot, but I'd rather ask before I try it and screw it up.

I have two pounds of rib meat in my fridge waiting for me to turn it into something beautiful...

As it happens I was going to follow the recipe but could not buy decent lamb shanks in my local grocery store (what they had was looking sad and tired - and it was pretty expensive too) but the boneless pork shoulder was on sale. I followed the recipe just as in the video, the pork took about 2 hours at 325 F to complete, and the meat came out very tender and lovely. I put some pieces of butternut squash to bake along the pork and after straining off the fat I thickened the sauce with the caramelized squash.

This recipe rocks! We loved the results and now want to have it a few times a month, but it's hard to find this cut at our grocery store. We searched three stores to find them, and were told they don't get them in too often. Bummer, but that doesn't change the fact that this recipe is great! It so easy to make, so delicious, and our dog loved the bones.

First, I love your website!! You've inspired me to learn how to cook. As I type, chicken covered in your 20 cloves of garlic sauce is sitting in my fridge waiting to be cooked, and I will also be making the burnt chocolate coins tomorrow!

Sunday, I plan on making the lamb shanks, but would like to add a bunch of carrots, celery and onions to make it all fancy. Can I cook these in the jus? If so, when do I put them in?

Chef John, something is terribly wrong! I'd never purchased lamb shanks before, but love lamb in just about every other cut, so I was excited to give this recipe a try. I cut the shrink wrap from the [Wegman's FYFGA lamb] shanks and P.U. -- the entire kitchen immediately started to stink. I've never encountered this with other cuts of lamb, so I figured this "eau de manure" was normal and would dissipate. No - it got worse as they roasted, and everything in the house, including me, was coated in the sour stench. After the first 30 minutes I decided to save my marriage and toss the smelly shanks out. Do shanks typically smell like a dirty sheep pen? I'm actually hoping that these were just bad shanks, because I very much want to try this recipe.

I first saw this recipe on YouTube and I'm a bit confused. The cooking directions are completely different here than they are on there. YouTube has 200 F for 3 hrs and this is 325 F for 2 hrs, there smashed garlic, here whole garlic, there in foil loose, here in pan then foil. Which version makes the better finished product? I always thought that low and slow was the best way for connective tissue breakdown.

Chef John, you do not disappoint! I'm new to lamb shanks. My Persian friends made some the other week and I was hooked! They actually got me a box of New Zealand lamb shanks that are GINORMOUS!I needed something not fussy tonight, so, of course, as is my bent, I come to your blogsite.I made these just like you said, except I used a glass baking dish with a lid (because I don't like cooking with foil) and they were A MAZING!!!The fresh herbs roasting were intoxicating and the smell wafting from my house will be the envy of the neighborhood for a WEEK!If compliments were dollars, you could pay off the national debt singlehandedly.Thank you, thank you, thank you.